The F-86 Sabre was a natural replacement for the F-80 Shooting Star. First introduced in 1949 for the United States Air Force, the F-86 featured excellent performance for its day, outstanding handling characteristics, and high adaptability. The Sabre served in a number of NATO-aligned countries and was even produced in Canada. A total of 9,860 Sabres of all variants were produced, some of which are still flying today with private collectors. The F-86F-1 version featured an uprated engine over its predecessors and a larger wing without leading-edge slats.